Jinsha River blocked again after new landslide in Sichuan-Tibet border area

2018/11/05Xinhua

A barrier lake has formed after another large landslide hit Bolo Township of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.

The second landslide occurred at around 5 p.m. Saturday and blocked a section of Jinsha River, located in the border area between Sichuan Province and Tibet.

The first landslide led to the formation of a barrier lake and rising water levels on October 11. Water levels returned to normal on October 14 with no casualties reported.

The volume of the landslide this time was estimated at over three million cubic meters.

Tibetan authorities said several hydrometric stations in the city of Qamdo have observed that the water level of Jinsha River rose quickly in the wake of the landslide. One station has already been inundated.

An emergency response has been activated to ensure the safety of local residents. A mechanism of coordinated rescue and information sharing has also been launched between Tibet and Sichuan.

Tibetan authorities said the two landslides have led to about 100 houses collapsing and more than 1,000 houses damaged. Over 8,300 residents have been relocated, with over 5,000 still in temporary relocation sites.

In Sichuan, an emergency response was initiated on Saturday night, with nearly 6,000 people including locals and power station staff in the lower reaches of Jinsha River being evacuated as of 7 a.m. on Sunday.